Safe
by tiffyytaffyy
Summary: Stuck in a dead end job, and blind dates courtesy of Ginny, Hermione has been itching for some action. Combined with her strong sense of justice, and restlessness, there was absolutely no way she could have ignored what she had witnessed from the Witches' lavatory. Biting more than you can chew, thy name is Hermione Granger. It is up to Draco Malfoy to keep her safe.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: All standard disclaimers apply.

Thank you to those I bothered to read and give me their opinions. Special thanks to JoA and her patience as my sounding board. Much love! Read and review please!

Chapter One

_July 19, 2013; 8:05PM_

"Expelliarmus!"

Hermione Granger launched herself over a wooden crate with one hand, the other adjusting its rather slippery grip on her wand. Crouching behind it, she fought to catch her breath after that last spell. Her fatigue came as no surprise though. She had been running from her chasers for a long while, and dodging all those spells cast by six other wizards while somehow attempting to remain on the offensive was bound to take a toll. If she were anyone else, Hermione would be wishing that she could go back in time and change how she got into this mess in the first place. However, she was not just anyone else. She was Hermione Jean Granger, one-third of the Golden Trio who defeated Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters, the brightest witch of her age. So what if she had a dead end job in the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and this was the most action she had seen since the Second Wizarding War? Just because magical creatures had settled down since Voldemort's death did not mean she felt just as much at peace. After years of fighting evil she now muddled through her days like a zombie. Combined with her strong sense of justice, and restlessness, there was absolutely no way she could have ignored what she had witnessed from the Witches' lavatory.

_One hour, thirty-five minutes ago._

A relieved sigh left Hermione's lips as she shut the restroom door behind her and leaned against it. _"This has got to be the most excruciatingly long blind date that Ginny has ever set up!" _There was only so much whining a girl could handle from her date. If Wilber, her set-up for the evening, had complained one more time about his job she would have screamed. It explained why she made an excuse to visit the restroom, like one of those 'I am going to go powder my nose now but I'm really going to have a friend call and save me from this hellhole' type of thing you see in movies. She understood that being a Curse-Breaker was difficult, but quite frankly, Hermione was surprised Wilber was still alive. Judging from his professionalism, he seemed rather incompetent. She personally thought being a Curse-Breaker was exciting compared to her desk job at the Ministry.

Crossing the room to the Wizarding World's version of a sink, she cast a quick _Aguamenti _and watched as a jet of water from her wand tip filled it. Next came a scrying spell similar to the one she had seen portrayed in _Halloweentown High._ Oh, how she loved when Muggle and Wizarding worlds collided. It was similar to a floo call, but allowed her to see and speak to another witch or wizard through the surface of the water. Hermione waited patiently as the "dial tone" echoed.

"Hey, 'Mione! How'd the date go?" Ginny Weasley's voice rang through the silent restroom before an image of her face swirled and wavered on the surface of the rippling water.

"Gin, what in Merlin's name were you thinking when you set us up? Was it 'Oh, here's Wilber Cattermole, as whiny and unimpressing as they come. What a great match for my unsuspecting friend, Hermione Granger!'" said Hermione, as she grasped the lip of the sink and leaned closer to make her point.

"Ah, Hermione, he can't possibly be that bad. I mean, he seemed nice enough when I met him last week. In fact, Bill introduced him to me," Ginny pouted. She knew Hermione's weaknesses. Unfortunately for Ginny, enough was enough. Hermione had had plenty of Ginny's blind dates to last her a lifetime, and then some!

"Honestly, Ginny. I doubt you would want to know what he said about Bill, his boss no less!" Hermione glanced up at the mirror above the sink and brushed an errant strand of hair away from her eyes. She wasn't particularly bad looking. Her hair was no longer bushy but was instead what Ginny's hairdresser had called "beautiful waves of auburn". Her teeth were rather straight now, and definitely pearly white; it would be considered blasphemous if she did not keep them that way, especially since both her parents were dentists. Her skin was, thankfully, clear and her cheeks were almost constantly flushed a delightful pink. No, Hermione Granger was certainly not ugly, even with her lack of suitable dates so far. It did not hurt that her reflection in the mirror had been quiet since entering the room, as mirrors in the Wizarding world were known for their penchant of advising anyone who looked into one on how to improve their appearance.

"Look, Gin, no more, okay? I am perfectly fine with not finding 'The One' right now."

"Oh, alright. I just want you to be as happy as Harry and I are, Hermione." Ginny looked quite chastised and Hermione was just about to reassure her once again that she was fine when a noise filtered in from the small window above one of the toilet stalls.

It seemed Ginny heard it also as the next words out of her mouth were, "Did you hear that? What was it?" Ginny craned her neck but could not see past the lip of the raised sink that doubled as a scrying bowl.

Hermione's brows furrowed and she turned back to the window. "Hold on, Ginny. I'm going to check."

She rushed to the stall and pushed its door in. She hesitated; in order for her to see out the window Hermione would have to stand on the toilet seat. _"Well, at least they have automatic sanitary charms."_ Grimacing anyway, she climbed on, using the stall's walls for support. Standing on her tippy toes, she pushed up on the window's ledge to see better. Yes, she was that short; but in her defense, that window was not there for peering out of!

Glancing around, Hermione tried to find the noise's origin. Now that she was closer to the window though, she could clearly hear that there was pitiful sobbing coming from the dark alley below. It was a child's voice! Hermione could not see clearly but from the slight shapes she could make out that there were six adult surrounding a smaller figure she assumed was the child.

"P-please, I don't know where they are! Don't hurt me!"

Hermione's heart just about broke when the child – a young boy, judging from his voice – pleaded, still sobbing. She was just about to yell for them to get away from him when one of the adults drew closer and cuffed what she assumed was the boy's ear. She could watch by the sidelines no further. Hermione jumped off the seat and practically flew from the restroom, leaving behind a panicked Ginny yelling for her. At the restaurant's table, Wilber had been waiting patiently when Hermione ran in. He stood quickly with a smile but she ignored him and he was left looking baffled.

Hermione stopped for nothing, and leaped over things left haphazardly on the ground of the dank alley, but skidded to a stop at a corner when she saw the flash of green from around it. That could only mean one thing. Avada Kedavra. Hermione had witnessed enough death by this spell during the war, and was not about to let this one go.

Anger rushed through her as she stepped around the corner. She could see now that there were more than the six adults from before. In addition to them, and the boy, was a portly man, not much taller than her, with cruel features and a growing smirk to match as he caught sight of her. His wand arm was still raised and at the end of it was a wand with its tip still glowing a bright green. He stooped with surprising grace for one with his figure and pocketed something from the clenched fist of the crumpled body at his feet. Behind him were the six men, one with a strong grip on the child whose sobbing had grown louder and more pitiful. Hermione could not tell if that was because he had just seen a murder, or because he knew the person who died. Perhaps both.

The man stood up now, but in the time he had done so, his smile had grown wider and crueler. Hermione supposed that he got what he came for. Without looking back at his companions, he uttered two words that made her blood run cold, "Get her." With that, his form contorted and swirled into nonexistence, signaling his departure by apparition, all while keeping eye contact.

Hermione gritted her teeth and adjusted both her stance and wand grip. She did not learn nothing from the Second Wizarding War. She could, however, admit that six grown wizards might cause her some trouble. They knew it as well, judging from the large grins on their faces, teeth gleaming from what little of the moon's light that had reached the alley. Hermione spared a glance at the boy. He was quiet now but his eyes were wide with fear and unshed tears. She hoped that _her_ eyes had conveyed that she wanted him to run as soon as she created a diversion.

Hermione's features hardened as she raised her wand. From the tip flew six bright white orbs that hit her opponents before they could even raise their own wands. It was difficult, and draining, to cast such a wordless spell, but Hermione knew that she needed this momentary advantage. Her spell caused the wizards to fly back a distance, and fortunately, the boy was freed from his captor's grasp. He wasted no time running away from them through another alley. Smart boy, that one.

As soon as he disappeared into the murky darkness, Hermione turned and ran the opposite direction, hoping the lackeys would chase after her instead.

_Present: July 19, 2013; 8:05PM_

Drawing in a ragged breath, and holding it in to keep quiet, Hermione glanced at her surroundings. She was no longer near that alley behind the restaurant. In fact, she was far from it. She would wager that this was part of Knockturn Alley. It was noticeably darker and danker. The stench was almost unbearable, and combined with the air of oppression it had her on edge. It was even worse, for she was behind the crate sandwiched between two buildings. They were so high, no light could be seen from the moon.

"_It's quiet, too quiet." _She should have at least heard thumping footsteps if they were still chasing her. _"What if they'd gone back for the boy?" _

With that thought, Hermione rose carefully to her feet. It was too risky to go back to the main street in front of her; best to keep to the back alleys to find her way back then. Keeping her gaze in front, she slowly, one foot at a time, backed away. Not five steps later though, did she bump into a hard surface. Her head turned back slowly, to try to catch a glimpse. Hermione could see, from the corner of her eye, that it was not a wall as she had hoped. It was a man. The one who had lost his wand due to her last spell. His raised arm came swiftly down upon her head. The thud of a brick he had found hitting its mark was the only sound made.

There was a moment where she remained standing, stunned. It did not last long. Hermione lurched forward, falling heavily upon her outstretched hands. She could hear shuffling behind her, most likely from the wizard coming closer. Hermione raised her wand arm shakily, and did what she should have done from the very beginning.

"Expecto… Patronum…" She collapsed fully now, her right cheek pressed upon the wet ground. The smell was worse from here. From her extended wand swam her patronus. The otter flipped, and looked back at her with worried eyes before leaving to do its mistress' bidding. Hermione's vision blurred. As it faded, the last thing she saw was the back of her otter and its trail of wispy silver.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: All standard disclaimers apply.

I am on a roll here, everyone! I don't think I've ever churned out a chapter this fast before. Thanks to those who followed and favorited. Special thanks to Darbythomas for being the first to follow, jmbarrientos for being the first to favorite, and JoA for her words of encouragement. Read and review, please! xoxo

_Previously,_

"_Expecto… Patronum…" She collapsed fully now, her right cheek pressed upon the wet ground. The smell was worse from here. From her outstretched wand swam her patronus. The otter flipped, and looked back at her with worried eyes before leaving to do its mistress' bidding. Hermione's vision blurred. As it faded, the last thing she saw was the back of her otter and its trail of wispy silver._

Chapter Two

Eyelashes fluttered. Once. Twice. With a groan, Hermione attempted to open her eyes. It was no easy feat; her head ached worse than ever before, her limbs felt like jelly, and her eyes might as well have been glued shut they were so heavy. Hermione drew a shuddering breath and willed herself to sit up. She had been through worse anyway, and knew that she needed to be on high alert.

It was then, as she shifted, that Hermione realized that although her back was cold, her front was not. Peering down, she found a small body curled up against her. It was the little boy from before. So they had chased after him after all. Now that he was closer, Hermione could see that he had fine blonde hair, and grubby but adorably chubby cheeks. Tucked under his chin were two tiny clenched fists. The sight of him made her want to coo with adoration, and Hermione Granger had never been one to coo. At anything. Ever.

Apparently, her shifting had caused him to stir, and wake. "Are you okay?" he asked, with a clear, innocent, child-like voice.

How he knew she was injured was anybody's guess. Hermione reached up to find her latest injury. It was tender but, thankfully, there was no blood when she pulled away. Suppressing a wince, for his sake, she thought, _"At least it was not a corner of the brick that hit me."_

"Yes, I'm fine. Are you hurt anywhere?" He shook his head, and she turned to glance at where they were being held. Ah, here was something she recognized at least. She was no stranger to dungeons after all, and it appeared that they were, indeed, in one that was just as gloomy, cold, and dingy as any other she had been in before. There was also no sign of escape. The only exit would be through the heavily locked, and enchanted, door. Without her wand, for she knew their captors would have taken it away, there was no hope. Except for her patronus, which she had sent to Ginny and Harry before her blackout. Only, they probably would not know where she had been taken to. Heck, _she _didn't even know. No, she had to keep her faith in Harry. He was Head Auror, and Hermione was sure he'd stop at nothing to find her.

To distract herself from panicking, Hermione turned back to the boy. "What's your name?"

"My name is Grayson Smith, and I'm four years old!" He held up four fingers, and gave her a toothy grin.

Hermione giggled, "Well, Grayson, my name is Hermione Granger, and I am twenty-two years old!"

She bit her lip, holding in that darn coo at his adorable politeness. "Ms. Hermione, do you want to see my loose tooth? Mama said she was going to have to take me to a Tooth Healer but Papa said it'll fall out on its own! Papa… Mama… Do you know where they are, Ms. Hermione?"

Hermione grew alarmed when Grayson trailed off and looked up at her with growing tears in his large blue-gray eyes. "You may call me Hermione, Grayson. No, I'm afraid I don't. Do you remember the last time you saw them?"

Grayson thought for a bit, and replied, "I was with Mama before but I lost her when I let go of her hand in front of Honeydukes. But Papa was there yesterday when you found us! He was on the ground. I think that bad man hurt him. What do I do? Please help me, Hermione!" He gazed at her imploringly; those tears were threatening to fall now.

Hermione froze. How did adults explain death to children? How did they clarify murder? She had been older than Grayson when she saw what he had seen. She needed no explanations, but then there were no easy ways to tell him that his father was dead and that he would never see or speak with him again. The same might be for his mother as well, as far as she knew. For once, Hermione Granger had no idea what to say.

Thankfully, she was spared from answering him as the sound of a heavy wooden door creaking open and slamming shut reached their ears. Slow footsteps made their way closer and closer to where Hermione and Grayson were.

Hermione gently nudged Grayson behind her, and focused on the door keeping them trapped inside. As she expected, the footsteps stopped at the door and the lock clattered open. Now unlocked, the door swung open to reveal the same wizard who struck her. Since the dungeon was marginally brighter than the alley had been Hermione could see that he had a hulking figure. His broad shoulders and gorilla-like arms almost filled the doorway. She was _damned_ lucky her injury was not worse. His small and dull eyes found the room's inhabitants rather slowly. In fact, he looked a great deal like a gargoyle. The odd part was that he did not look unfamiliar to Hermione, though she could not recall who he was.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. The fact that he looked vaguely familiar left her even more ill at ease. "What do you want? Let us go!" She could feel Grayson's grip on the back of her shirt tighten at her outburst as he peered out from behind her. The behemoth of a man had the audacity to stare stupidly at her for a moment before opening his mouth to reply. Before he was able to speak, however, the entrance he came through before crashed open. Now that the dungeon door was open, she could see that another wizard was the cause.

"Aurors are here! Take them away; the boss wants them alive, _for now_," he shouted down the hall, jutting his chin towards Grayson and Hermione. She felt dread begin to fill her. They were spared death momentarily but it meant little if he was going to take them further away from their would-be saviors.

Hermione reached down and gathered Grayson into her arms quickly. She was not about to make this easy for him. He looked as if he would barely be able to apparate by himself without splinching. Hermione did not want to know what would happen if he had two other passengers, especially when she did not have any Essence of Dittany with her!

The man lunged for her but Hermione was faster. She managed to duck under his swipe and sprint across the room. She could hear both light and dark spells being cast down the hall. That meant the aurors were near. All she had to do now was make it out the door in one piece. Hermione adjusted Grayson so that he had his arms wrapped around her neck and legs around her waist. There was no time for hesitation, as the scowling man was coming closer, so she made a dash for it. She had barely gotten one foot out the door when she ran smack dab into what felt like a wall of steel. It threw her so off balance, especially with a child on her back, that she would have fallen backwards if not for the tight grasp on her arms.

Hermione was almost afraid to look up.

"Granger."

Oh, her head nearly detached itself from her neck at this.

It was surprise that made her look up, she had no need to. Hermione knew whom this deep and smooth baritone belonged to. If her dread had been filling her before, it was simply overflowing now.

"Malfoy."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Whew, this chapter gave me a bit of trouble, but I hope you guys enjoy! Thanks to henben for being the first to review. Read and review, please! All standard disclaimers apply.

* * *

_Previously, _

_Hermione was almost afraid to look up. _

_"Granger."_

_Oh, her head nearly detached itself from her neck at this._

_It was surprise that made her look up; she had no need to. Hermione knew whom this deep and smooth baritone belonged to. If her dread had been filling her before, it was simply overflowing now._

_"Malfoy."_

* * *

Chapter Three

* * *

Hermione's mind raced with about a hundred thoughts at once. _What's he doing here? Is this a Death Eater thing? A Pureblood conglomeration? Shite. _

"Goyle."

_What?_ For the second time in about as many minutes, she was stunned. Her attacker and captor was _Gregory Goyle_, one of Malfoy's lackeys from their school years at Hogwarts? Well, either way, now she was really screwed. Goyle she could have outsmarted, but _Malfoy_? If she recalled correctly, and she always did, Malfoy had always come in second only to her when it came to their studies and exams. There was absolutely no way Hermione could escape this without her wand.

"_Malfoy_," sneered Goyle, teeth bared. Wait. Why would Goyle show such blatant hatred if they were on the same side? They _were_ on the same side, right? Hermione took a closer look now. It had only been about four years since she had last seen him but Hermione had to admit that Malfoy definitely looked better now. His platinum blonde hair was no longer severely slicked back but looked as if he had just run a hand through it. With several errant locks falling into his stormy gray eyes, Malfoy looked laid-back; a far cry from the gaunt boy with haunted eyes she remembered.

"Come to save the mudblood, have you?"

Hermione's eyes widened as Malfoy's fingers tightened on her upper arms, though not painfully. Was that a spark of anger she had just seen in his eyes? As if suddenly aware that he was still holding her, Malfoy released his grip on her abruptly. He reached into the inside pocket of his black leather jacket and shoved its content into her hands, never removing his gaze from Goyle.

Had she been hit in the head harder than she thought? First, this was her wand. Second, was that an Auror badge she had just seen hanging out from the pocket?

"Potter's down the hall, Granger. I'll take care of this." Malfoy sneered a bit back at Goyle while nudging her out of the room. Whether or not this was pure luck, Hermione decided not to question Malfoy's help. She wasted no time leaving then.

True to Malfoy's words, Harry appeared in her sight just outside where they had been held captive. Hermione turned her head to the side a bit; Grayson had hidden his face in her hair and remained silent the moment he latched onto her.

"Are you alright, Grayson? Everything will be fine now. That man there is my friend," Hermione assured, pointing at Harry who had just seen her and was now rushing to reach her. Grayson gave her a hesitant nod.

"Hermione, thank goodness we found you! Are you alright?" Harry pulled her into a tight hug, mindful of her passenger, and gave them both a once over. Other than disheveled hair and dirty smudges on the dress she had worn on her date, she appeared to be fine. "Come on, I'll take you two to the Ministry. My Aurors can take care of things here. I'll explain everything to you once some Mediwitches have had a look at you both."

Relieved that this ordeal was almost over, Hermione nodded. She was eager to change out of these clothes, and get some real rest. Hermione reached behind her and pulled Grayson into her arms, slipping a hand into Harry's outstretched one before they disapparated.

* * *

A sigh left Hermione's lips as she sat down heavily upon the coach in the corner of Harry's office. Her bruise, courtesy of Goyle, had been looked at and healed by a Mediwitch as soon as they arrived and she had given a statement on her kidnapping. She was most definitely pressing charges against Goyle. Needless to say though, Hermione was exhausted. A hot bath and comfy bed sounded nice right about now.

Her thoughts drifted to Grayson, and she wondered if he was doing all right with Harry. They had disappeared together after a Healer had given Grayson a clean bill of health. Hermione hoped it was because they'd found Grayson's mother. She didn't want to imagine what his fate would be otherwise.

Hermione had been about to fall asleep upright if the door had not opened then. She twisted to see that it was Harry, who held Grayson's tiny hand in his. _Poor kid._ He looked as bushed as she felt.

Grayson's face lit up as he saw her though. "Hi, Hermione!" He gave her a grin, clambered onto the couch and they began to chat; topics changing so fast she could barely keep up. From the corner of her eye, Hermione could see Harry smile and cross the room to reach into his desk drawer. He pulled out a toy rocket, which he gave to Grayson, saying, "Here you are, Grayson. This belongs to my god-son, Teddy, but considering the circumstances, I'm sure he would want you to have it." Grayson thanked him and begin playing with it, making rocket engine noises. Hermione was surprised at this; she did not expect him to know such Muggle things.

Now that Grayson was distracted, Hermione turned towards Harry, who had taken a seat on a chair nearby, with a raised eyebrow. She knew they were in for a long talk when he sighed and loosened his tie.

"Hermione, how much do you know about all of this?"

"Nothing much, really. I suppose they took me as well because of what I witnessed, and for interfering."

"You're right. What I'm about to tell you is strictly classified but I figure you should know since you're involved now. A few months ago, a new potion was created in Wales. The exact ingredients and formula are unknown to us right now. However, we do know that it can cause mass destruction to wizard communities. Any witch or wizard who comes into direct contact with it loses his or her magic instantaneously. They become, essentially, squibs. Now, the person who created it," Harry lowered his voice and glanced at Grayson, who was still playing, "was the person whose death you witnessed. His name was Zacharias Smith."

Hermione was horrified. She remembered Zacharias Smith, though not much of it was exactly positive, even if he did father the sweetest child ever. "I can't imagine why anyone would create such a potion, especially one who was a wizard himself!"

Harry chuckled at Hermione's bewildered and shocked expression, "He didn't do it on purpose! It was purely accidental, although I find that difficult to believe as well." Harry bent forward, forearms resting on his upper legs. "He did come to Ministry, however. Said he destroyed it as soon as he could, but, apparently, not soon enough. His boss – he was a Potion-Brewer for a private company, you see – found out before and planned to market it to dark wizards and witches. Obviously, Smith's boss was extremely upset, enough to cause him to come to us for protection. We granted it, of course. In fact, they were supposed to be moved to a safe-house today. But – well, you know the rest. There are a couple problems though. We can't arrest the person responsible."

"I don't understand. You know who did it. What's stopping you from making an arrest?" Hermione inquired.

"Other than the fact that he is extremely influential? Nothing. His name is Herbert Burke, and he's as powerful as the Malfoys had been. We have reason to believe, though, that he acquired partial notes Smith made, and, with it, could recreate the potion. Unfortunately, the Wizengamot wants a witness to stand trial before they even contemplate arresting him. I was hoping you would do it."

"That explains why he looked like the damn Cheshire cat then! He really did get what he wanted," Hermione's brows furrowed before she squared her shoulders and looked up at Harry with conviction in her eyes, "Absolutely. I'll do it. I don't want to even think about what that potion could do in the hands of dark wizards."

"By the way, Harry, how did you know where we were being held anyway?"

"Well, we keep an undercover informant amongst some former Death Eaters, just in case, and he let us know before taking you away. We have been meaning to pull him out anyway, so this was actually the perfect opportunity. This helps with building a case though; we now know, for sure, that Burke associates with dark wizards."

"Goyle, but he _struck _me with a _brick_; and he seemed so angry with Malfoy!"

"It was to not arouse suspicion. As for Malfoy, perfect acting just in case someone else was there, I assure you. By the way, Malfoy found your wand near the scene of the crime and he said he'd give it to you. Did he?"

Their words reminded her of something then. "Yes, he did. _Speaking of Malfoy,_ why didn't you tell me he was an Auror now? I nearly had a heart attack when I ran into him!"

"Now, now, Granger. Don't place _all _the blame on Potter. It was at my request after all." Hermione nearly jumped out of her seat at the sound of Malfoy's smooth drawl. It came with a smirk to match, of course.

"Merlin, Malfoy. Don't you ever knock?" Harry grumbled, although he did not look too upset.

"Never. It ruins the element of surprise. That, and scaring you and Granger is my only joy in life. If only Weasley was here as well." There was that smirk again. "Goyle's in custody. He's waiting for you in the interrogation room."

Clearing her throat, Hermione asked, "Are there any more problems? You mentioned there were a few."

"Yes, it's to do with Grayson's mother and sister," again, Harry glanced to Grayson.

"Sister? I didn't know he had a sister. Did you find them?"

"He has a baby sister; six months old, I believe. As for their locations…" Harry turned to Malfoy at this, who shook his head. Harry slumped further in his seat.

"That's horrible," Hermione shook her head sadly, still looking at Grayson before turning back to Harry, "What will happen to him now?"

"Well, he has no other family. Both of his parents were orphaned during the war. So until we find his mother, I'll probably have an Auror assigned to him, although I don't expect Burke will come after him. If it's really a problem, he could stay with me for a while. Teddy would love to have another boy his age around. You, on the other hand, I do expect to be a target, especially if you insist on being a witness. You'll need to have an Auror with you at all times."

"There is no need for that. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

"No offense, Granger, but that rescue mission we just pulled says otherwise," snorted Malfoy.

"You stay out of this, Draco Malfoy!"

Harry sighed. "He's right, you know. Look, Hermione. You are a brilliant witch, but – "

"I'll be _fine_, Harry," stressed Hermione exasperatedly, "There really is no use arguing like this. You know very well that I won't change my mind. Don't make me floo call your wife, Harry James Potter!"

Harry paled at her threat. Ginny would definitely be on Hermione's side, and he didn't fancy sleeping on the couch any time soon. Besides, he could still have his way without letting her know. Harry surreptitiously glanced at Malfoy, who nodded back just as discreetly.

"Your funeral, Granger." Honestly! Was that smirk ever going to leave?

"Alright, Hermione; just don't call Ginny! Now go home, and get some rest. You look like you're about to fall asleep right where you are. Don't worry about coming in for work. I'll let them know that you're out of commission for the rest of the week. As for the trial – well, I'll let you know about that as soon as I get news."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. That was almost too easy. But four days of not pushing papers? He didn't need to tell her twice!

Hermione turned and said, "Grayson? I have to go home now. I'll miss you very much, but you'll be in good hands with my friends here, okay, sweetie?" Malfoy looked surprised that she referred to him as her friend. Well, she couldn't very well have said 'friend and former enemy' now, could she? What kind of reassurance would that be?

"You're leaving?" Grayson's head whipped towards her, his eyes widening. Oh no, he was pouting. She was a sucker for pouts.

"Y-yes, but don't worry! I'll come visit you." With that, she gave him a tight embrace, said goodbye to Harry _and _Malfoy, and scurried out _before_ she could bring Grayson home with her. Hermione highly doubted her flat mate would like that.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: All standard disclaimers apply. This is almost 10 full pages, everyone! It took me a while but your reviews, follows, and favorites motivated me to keep writing instead of cutting it into a couple chapters. As always, read and review, please!

MK: Thanks for your review! 'Grayson' is a pretty nice name. I admit, I used to have problems with names too until I decided to keep a notebook full of names I really like, for my future kids. LOL and then I realized my characters are my babies too, so why not?

* * *

_Previously…_

_Hermione turned and said, "Grayson? I have to go home now. I'll miss you very much, but you'll be in good hands with my friends here, okay, sweetie?" Malfoy looked surprised that she referred to him as her friend. Well, she couldn't very well have said 'friend and former enemy' now, could she? What kind of reassurance would that be?_

_"You're leaving?" Grayson's head whipped towards her, his eyes widening. Oh no, he was pouting. She was a sucker for pouts._

_"Y-yes, but don't worry! I'll come visit you." With that, she gave him a tight embrace, said goodbye to Harry and Malfoy, and scurried out before she could bring Grayson home with her. Hermione highly doubted her flat mate would like that._

* * *

Chapter Four

* * *

"Hermioneeeee!" wailed the sobbing mass that collided with her the moment she stepped foot into their flat.

"Oof, Pansy!"

"Are you alright? Were you injured? How are you feeling? Were you awfully scared? Would you like some water? I'll get you some water. Ginny will be here any minute now; I left her a floo message the second I heard you opening the door. Oh, Hermione, I have been so worried since Harry told Ginny that you were kidnapped!" Pansy had pulled her towards the couch, and proceeded to pour her a tall glass of water. Crookshanks curled up around her feet and purred.

"I'm fine. I was injured, but it's all healed now. Feeling a bit tired, actually. I wasn't scared until Malfoy showed up! Why didn't you tell me he was an Auror? I was so surprised when I saw his badge," Having lived and been best friends with Pansy for two years now, Hermione was used to her rapid-fire way of speaking. It was odd, really. If someone had told Hermione two years ago that Pansy Parkinson would become her best friend and flatmate one day she would have laughed hysterically before having them committed to an asylum. However, as it turned out, the events of the Second Wizarding War had humbled Pansy, and she was no longer a Pure-blood bigot. How could she still believe that muggle-borns did not deserve magic when she had seen that much death, that when blood was spilled and innocent children died, Pure-bloods were superior? She couldn't, and so she was a complete one eighty compared to when they were still school children. When they met again at the same magical hair salon, Pansy had shyly gone up to both Hermione and Ginny to apologize for her behavior when they were younger; and from there, they slowly became friends and eventually, flatmates when Pansy decided she wanted to support herself and move out her family's home.

"Oh, he asked that I not tell anyone. I'm sorry for keeping it a secret from you, Hermione, but Draco rarely asks me for anything."

"It's alright, Pans; I understand. I'm going to take a bath. I'll tell you everything once I'm done." Hermione gave Pansy a smile and patted her hand before going to her private bathroom.

When Hermione had come out of the bathroom with rosy cheeks, wet hair, and dressed in her favorite blue cotton pajamas with yellow rubber duckies, she found both Ginny and Pansy in their own pajamas lounging in her bedroom. "Are you sleeping over later tonight, Gin?" she asked, toweling her hair dry before running a brush through it. It was still early in the afternoon but she felt exhausted. Hermione was sure the girls would not mind if she took a long nap soon though.

"Of course. Harry's got the kids for the rest of the day and night so that I'm free to take care of you, sweetie. By the way, did you know we've gotten a new kid? This one was all Harry though," Ginny giggled.

"Oh, you must mean Grayson. I guess Harry couldn't find an Auror for the job. He's the cutest thing ever though, and so polite. Feel free to leave him with me if you ever feel overwhelmed. I've got the rest of the week off anyway." Ginny nodded. She had been a little worried that having both Teddy, who lived with the Potter family instead of with his grandmother, and Grayson, as well as baby James, in the house would be overwhelming.

"I made some tea, Hermione. Now, sit down and tell us everything!" And she did. They sat there and listened to her story for two hours, snorting at her date's behavior, gasping at Grayson's abuse, and made indignant noises when she told them of how Goyle had struck her. Of course, Hermione also told them about the circumstances and reason why she decided to be a witness. There were no such things as kept secrets among them.

"And Harry wanted to have an Auror follow you around? Talk about no privacy! Bah, men! You get kidnapped _one _time, and they think you can't protect yourself," Ginny rolled her eyes.

Pansy nodded, "It's a good thing you straightened him out. You probably would have ended up having to save him or her anyway."

Hermione laughed. "Anyway, I'm pretty bushed, guys. Do you mind if I take a nap?"

"Oh, of course not, dear. We'll be around if you need us. We'll wake you up around dinnertime so we can get some food in you, and so you can still get some sleep tonight" said Ginny, who stood up and stretched. Pansy nodded, and they both left her bedroom.

Hermione settled into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She shut her eyes only to find that she could not fall asleep. Now that she had a chance to rest, her mind decided it wanted her to think about Malfoy. She was a little frustrated that Harry and Pansy hadn't been able to tell her what she wanted to know about him. It was none of her business but she couldn't help being curious about her former schoolmate, who had suddenly decided that he wanted to be all mysterious and crap. Nastiness she could handle, she remembered that punch she gave him in their Third year; but mystery, civility, and that _smirk_? That would take some getting used to. She tossed and turned until, eventually, she returned to her original position and stared up at the ceiling. "Whatever, it's not as if I'll be seeing much of him anyway." She closed her eyes then, and through sheer stubbornness and determination did she finally fall asleep.

* * *

Hermione yawned and stretched as she came out of her bedroom. She wiped the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes and reached up to gather her hair into a messy bun.

"Oh, hey. I was just about to go in and wake you. Dinner's ready," Ginny smiled from her perch on one of the three stools in their kitchen, chin in one hand. Pansy looked over her shoulder, while stirring her wand over a pot of what looked like cream sauce. After moving out of her family's home and pursuing her dream career as a fashion designer, her magical cooking skills had improved immensely.

"Your main course for this evening, my ladies," Pansy set a plate of Chicken Cordon Bleu and steamed vegetables on a bed of the cream sauce in front of each girl before sitting down on the last stool with her own plate.

"Hey, remember the first time you cooked for us?" Hermione said as she took a bite of her dinner before moaning in appreciation.

"Oh, Merlin, don't even remind me!" Pansy wailed, covering her face with her hands.

"Oh, Hermione, I don't think I remember this story. Refresh my memory?" Ginny had the largest grin on her face. Hermione returned it conspiratorially, and started, "Well, it was our first day living together, and to celebrate, we decided to make pizza and cookies from scratch."

Hermione had to raise her voice to be heard over Pansy embarrassed mumbling. "The sauces we made tasted great; kneading the dough gave us a good arm workout. Everything was going well. Until Pansy here put it into the oven. Without the pizza stone."

"It was an honest mistake! I had never made pizza before then!"

"Keep telling yourself that, Pansy. The instructions were right in front of you!"

Ginny giggled, "And then what?"

"And then, she left it in there for half an hour with the oven on. So, when we opened the oven door, there it was. Crust on the rack, toppings dripping down. There was just this pile of melted cheese and toppings at the bottom of the oven. Let me tell you, no amount of magic could clean that mess up! So, obviously, Pansy here was nominated to scrub it clean by hand."

Ginny and Hermione cackled.

Pansy's head popped up from its position on her crossed arms, short dark hair fluttering with her actions. She smirked, and smugly said, "Hermione, it seems you have forgotten about _your_ kitchen disaster." Hermione paled.

"Oh, don't you remember? I had just finished scrubbing that oven when you came over and tripped with that tray of cookies and proceeded to ruin my beautiful handiwork. In fact, your mess was larger than mine. Not only did those cookies splatter onto the door, it also fell through the crack and dripped onto the kitchen floor!"

Hermione gave them a mock glare as Ginny and Pansy howled with laughter.

"Ginerva Molly Potter, don't make me tell that story about the mango!"

That was how the rest of their night was spent; laughing and making fun of each other.

* * *

It was Day One of her vacation, and Hermione had all morning curled up with a book and Crookshanks in bed. It sure beat going to work and dealing with grumpy goblins all day. She should have just been a librarian. If Hermione hadn't wanted to change Magical Creature Laws so that they were treated fairly, working around books would be exactly what she would have done. She was not very successful in her current career so perhaps it was not too late to make a change.

As someone who was used to being active in the morning, Hermione felt restless and decided to get out of bed as she heard Pansy moving around the flat. Hermione found Pansy in the spare room they used as a closet. Living and sharing the same size with your fashion designer best friend had perks; Pansy kept her fashionably forward. Leaning against the doorframe and crossing her arms, Hermione could see that Pansy was holding a formal little black dress to herself while looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her red lips were pursed in thought.

"Got a hot date tonight?"

Pansy jumped a little. Her expression turned pensive before her nose scrunched. "My mother arranged this little date tonight with another Pure-blood wizard. I am trying to decide if I want to look nice, or if I should try to scare him away by looking atrocious. I can only hope that he is not like the rest of the bigots my parents have set me up with so far."

Hermione entered the room and curled up on the chaise that Pansy had deemed worthy of their closet. She thought for a moment before asking, "Did your parents tell you anything about him?"

Pansy made a noncommittal noise. "Not much. He was in our year. Slytherin, of course, though they wouldn't tell me his name."

Hermione began tracing invisible patterns on her seat as she said, "Go because you want to, Pansy. But don't if you just want to please your parents. You are the one who has to spend the rest of her life with whoever you end up marrying, not them. Do what will make you happy, Pans."

They were both silent as Pansy thought over Hermione's words. "I'll go. But I am going to make this date so horrible they will think twice about arranging another date. Hopefully, he'll spread the word to the other 'candidates' as well." Pansy and Hermione grinned at each other.

There was a whooshing and crackling noise that signaled they had a visitor. As Hermione and Pansy entered the living room the fireplace flashed green. When the smoke cleared and the light faded, they saw that it was Ginny and Grayson that exited.

Grayson was sobbing and Hermione rushed over to kneel in front of him. Taking his face into her hands, she brushed his tears away and asked, "What's wrong, sweetheart? Why are you crying?" When he did not answer, she looked up at Ginny. At Ginny's sad, and somewhat guilty, look Hermione gathered Grayson into her arms and they moved to the couch.

Hermione set him down on her lap and hugged him tightly as Ginny and Pansy settled down on both sides of her.

"You can tell me, Grayson. I'm your friend, remember?"

Grayson hiccupped pitifully and took shallow breaths before asking, "W-where are my Mama and Papa, H-hermione?"

Hermione gasped; she thought Harry would have told him. Instead, now she would have to break the little boy's heart. She looked at Ginny and Pansy for help. Pansy looked just as shocked as she surely did and Ginny had tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I didn't know Teddy heard Harry and I discussing how we should tell Grayson about his family. I'm sure Teddy didn't mean to upset Grayson by telling him that his father died but was probably having fun with Remus and Dora."

"Oh, Grayson…" Now all three girls had tears in their eyes. Pansy's fingers covered her mouth.

Hermione pulled him back against her chest and stroked his hair, saying, "I'm so sorry, Grayson. I'm afraid what Teddy said is true. Your father…passed away. I won't say he's in a better place, because the best place is _here_, beside you and your family. But he will always, always be here in your heart."

Grayson's cries did not subside. "A-and what about M-mama, and my sister?"

At this, Ginny spoke up with strong conviction in her voice. "Don't you worry, Grayson. Harry will definitely find them."

Though they whispered more reassurances, all of the adults present thought the same thing.

_'Please let them be alive."_

Hermione's arms tightened around Grayson's trembling frame.

* * *

"Don't worry, I've got this. You go home and take care of the boys," Hermione reassured Ginny. All three girls had stayed with Grayson until he cried himself to sleep. They thought it was best that Grayson stayed with Hermione because they were closer, and because Hermione had more time to devote to him. Ginny had to go home and prepare dinner for her family but she was loitering by the fireplace because she worried about Hermione and Grayson, especially with Pansy also leaving soon for her date.

"Alright, but floo me if you need anything." The fire crackled as Ginny grabbed a fist full of floo powder, called out her address, and flooed home.

"Are you _sure_ you don't want me to stay home with you?" Guess it was Pansy's turn now. She came back out of their closet in the dress from before, slipping earrings on.

"_Yes, _besides, you've got a message to send. Now go give them a piece of Pansy Parkinson. I'll floo the restaurant in an hour in case you need an out." It was their deal. The girl not on the date would call the other just in case she needed an excuse to make a run for it.

Pansy winked before stepping into the fireplace and flooed to the restaurant.

Hermione sighed. She had dinner to make.

* * *

Grayson had been quiet and solemn during dinner, even though Hermione made macaroni and cheese, which he had mentioned was his favorite during their brief chat in Harry's office at the Ministry. Her attempts at jokes and making him laugh also failed. When it came time for bed, she dressed him in Teddy's spare clothes that she kept for sleepovers.

Hermione held the blanket up so that Grayson could climb under it before settling in herself. He scooted closer to her and she curled around him in comfort, rubbing his back soothingly until she fell asleep listening to his deep, even breaths.

* * *

A loud crash and curse from the living room had Hermione jolting out of bed.

"Pansy?" she called out from the hallway. There was no answer. Pansy had been all right when she flooed the restaurant earlier; she even seemed a little happy. She was not a naturally clumsy or brash girl, so the noise was definitely odd. Maybe she had a little too much to drink tonight. If that were the case, Hermione would need her wand. The lights in their apartment could only be turned on magically, and from what she heard, their home might need to be fixed magically as well. She turned get her wand, which she knew was on her bedside table.

She did not make it very far.

A pair of hands slipped around her noiselessly; one covering her mouth, the other around her waist, keeping her arms pinned at her side. Hermione's eyes widened as she was pulled back against a hard body. She struggled to get free, and even contemplated trying to do wordless and wandless magic. It was in vain though, because her mind was still not focused as she just woke moments ago.

"Shh, Granger, it's me." Hermione was utterly relieved to hear Malfoy's voice.

"There's an intruder in your living room. I want you to go back to your bedroom, quietly, and lock it. I'll come get you when it's safe."

She nodded and did as he bid. Hermione would leave this to him for now. She casted a nearly silent 'Colloportus' before waking Grayson up. If they had to make a quick getaway, or if she had to fight as well, it was best if he was awake already. Hermione held a finger to her lips, bidding Grayson to keep quiet. He half crawled, half launched himself across the bed to clutch the back of her night shirt, keeping his face hidden.

Hermione strained to hear what was happening but all that met her ears was silence. She nearly shrieked when there was a knock and a soft 'Granger' at her door.

"Alohamora," said Hermione, as she pulled her door open, nearly yanking it off by the hinges.

"It's safe now. I used your floo network to call Potter. He's waiting for you out there."

Malfoy jerked his chin in the direction of the living room, his hair ruffling in the same direction before settling over his eyes again. Hermione nodded and grasped Grayson's tiny hand in hers, helping him down from the bed.

Malfoy was right; Harry had been waiting in the living room for her, though he was not the only one. Ginny cradled a sleeping James in her arms while Teddy glared at the frozen figure laying on the rug, his hair a bright red to reflect his anger and a sign he definitely took after Nymphadora. On the floor were shards of a vase Hermione knew both she and Pansy would not particularly miss; it explained the clatter she had heard before. The man lying on his back, stiff as a board, eyes traveling fearfully from one person to the next, must have bumped into it.

Teddy was the first to notice their appearance. He rushed over, with a worried look in his eyes, "Are you okay, Aunt 'Mione?" At five years old, the little boy barely came to her hips. Hermione ruffled his now-dark gray hair with her free hand and nodded. Satisfied that she was all right, Teddy turned to Grayson.

"I'm sorry that I said those things about your dad, Grayson. I didn't mean to make you upset, promise!" said Teddy, shyly. He clutched his hands behind his back, toeing the wood floor with one foot. Grayson nodded though he remained silent.

Hermione's eyes followed Malfoy as he came over to look down at the petrified man by Harry's feet. Both men briefly exchanged a look before Harry kneeled down to tilt the trespasser's head back. The vial had just touched his lips when the flames in the fireplace grew green and Pansy appeared. There was a soft smile on her ruby lips that disappeared as she took in the tense atmosphere.

"What's going on?" Pansy asked, stepping out of the fireplace. She caught sight of what everyone was gathered around and her head whipped towards Hermione.

Hermione shook her head to indicate that neither she nor Grayson had been harmed.

Harry looked up at Ginny and said, "Why don't you take the kids into another room?" It was a suggestion that Ginny knew meant what would transpire next was not something the children should be exposed to. She nodded and herded Teddy and Grayson into Hermione's room where she knew the telly could provide a distraction.

Harry turned back to his task, certain that there would be no more distractions or interruptions now. He pried the man's lips open and tilted the vial, which Hermione knew to be Veritaserum due to its clear and colorless liquid, allowing three drops to drip down his throat. Satisfied that the potion was administered properly, Harry stepped back to allow Malfoy to replace him.

"State your name and your purpose here." Malfoy's voice was low and cold. Hermione was reminded of Snape, which caused her to shiver a bit in memory.

"My name is Tobias Jugson. I was sent to murder Hermione Granger and Grayson Smith. Our orders were to take them out even in public but as they have not left their residences we decided to do it privately. "

Hermione suppressed a gasp; it was not a surprise, really. She was no stranger to death threats and murder attempts, especially since she happened to be muggleborn. True, it had been a long time since she received one but she had known what she was getting into when she agreed to be a witness for a trial against a tremendously influential man, assuming that Jugson had been sent by Burke. Even though she realized this beforehand, her complexion paled visibly.

Malfoy's eyes darkened and narrowed. "_Who_ sent you?"

At this point, there was only one suspect on everyone's mind. However, the more evidence they had to build their case with, the better. Harry shoved his wand closer to Jugson, having already casted a recording spell.

It was obvious that the moment Malfoy asked that question Jugson's eyes widened further in unadulterated terror. It was understandable that he was frightened; if Burke could send men to murder an innocent woman and child, one could only guess what he would do to a snitch.

Several moments went by though, yet nothing came out of Jugson's mouth. His eyes grew increasingly frantic while his mouth twitched spasmodically though it stayed shut.

Hermione cocked her head to one side, evaluating Jugson. Technically, he should not be able to resist Veritaserum's control; he certainly did not look magically powerful enough to do so. That was when a thought struck her. "Malfoy, check for signs of an Unbreakable Vow!"

When an Unbreakable Vow was made, it left marks on the skin. These marks were actually rings of fire burnt onto each participant's hand though they were not painful; each ring represented a term, or condition, of the Vow. Malfoy wasted no time yanking up Jugson's right sleeve; there on the back of his mottled hand was just one circle.

Harry sighed in relief. There was much significance in there being only one ring. It meant that the term of the Unbreakable Vow was to keep the identity of Jugson's ringleader a secret. If there were another term, it most likely would have been to kill Hermione and Grayson at any cost. If that were the case, Jugson would definitely not be alive for long. Thankfully, the Ministry could continue interrogating him, though at another time. They had heard enough tonight.

Malfoy stood up and adjusted his wand holster. He looked to Harry and said, "I'll send him to the Ministry. The overnight guards can take care of him." At Harry's nod, Malfoy levitated Jugson's still frozen body to the fireplace. Once Jugson disappeared, Malfoy turned back to face the room.

"Why don't we all take a seat? Things are getting out of hand now and we have to discuss what to do next," suggested Harry. Hermione dropped down on the white leather couch while Pansy settled down next to her. Malfoy took one of the beige plush chairs while Harry went down the hall to Hermione's room and said, voice muffled, "Ginny? The kids can come out now. This involves Grayson too." Harry returned with Ginny, Teddy, and Grayson. James was still sleeping in a transfigured crib.

Ginny sat down next to Hermione and pulled Teddy into her lap while Harry took the last remaining seat. Grayson looked a bit lost so Hermione opened her arms and allowed him to clamber up onto her lap. She settled her arms around him and looked at Harry expectantly.

Harry took a breath and steeled himself. "You do realize that you can't stay here anymore, right?" As expected, there was an outburst of protests from Ginny, Pansy, and Teddy. Hermione was silent.

"Wait! That came out wrong. I meant to say that we have to move you to a safe house, or somewhere it would be easier to protect you two. Somewhere Burke can't find you. You heard Jugson. They would have performed a hit on you anyway. It was only because you had the week off from work that they had to break in. Burke obviously knows that you're going to be a witness so he has made it his business to know your every move. I'm not telling you to leave forever, Hermione. Merlin, you're one of my best friends; I could never do that. Ron would kill me," Harry held his hands up in defense, "I will do everything in my power to protect you two; but that means, unfortunately, you can't stay here. At least not until this is all over."

Hermione's face was blank and her eyes were unfocused, but to those who knew her, knew that she was analyzing this proposal from every angle. Everyone was silent; the ball was in Hermione's court now, but they all knew how stubborn she could be.

That was why it came as a surprise when she said, "When do we leave?"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: All standard disclaimers apply.

What do you guys think of how I explained Zacharias Smith's death to Grayson? Is it plausible? I didn't need an explanation when a death last occurred in my family because, at that point, I was old enough to understand already so I have nothing to compare it to. Sorry this chapter took so long, by the way! I finished it last week and posted it then but a friend caught a mistake and I decided to just remove it and revise the entire thing again. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

_Previously…_

_"Wait! That came out wrong. I meant to say that we have to move you to a safe house, or somewhere it would be easier to protect you two. Somewhere Burke can't find you. You heard Jugson. They would have performed a hit on you anyway. It was only because you had the week off from work that they had to break in. Burke obviously knows that you're going to be a witness so he has made it his business to know your every move. I'm not telling you to leave forever, Hermione. Merlin, you're one of my best friends; I could never do that. Ron would kill me," Harry held his hands up in defense, "I will do everything in my power to protect you two; but that means, unfortunately, you can't stay here. At least not until this is all over."_

_Hermione's face was blank and her eyes were unfocused, but to those who knew her, knew that she was analyzing this proposal from every angle. Everyone was silent; the ball was in Hermione's court now, but they all knew how stubborn she could be._

_That was why it came as a surprise when she said, "When do we leave?"_

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

"_What?_" Ginny and Pansy asked, surprised. Was she serious?

Harry blinked. "Uh, really? Well, I need you to choose a location first though. The safest places would be the Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire, which the Malfoys have been gracious enough to offer, or Grimmauld Place. They're both protected by centuries of powerful magic but the downside is, you can't leave the property. Burke will find you if you stay anywhere near the Wizarding World. The alternative is a Muggle city, which would be a better place for you to blend in as opposed to a small town. Of course, you will be safe with Malfoy there as well and you will all be given new identities and backgrounds, kind of like the wizard kind version of Witness Protection Program. No one besides the people in this room will know."

Hermione did not hesitate choosing, and said, "Well, I refuse to be kept inside all day until the Wizengamot agree to see me, so I guess Muggle city it is."

"Great. Um, okay then." Harry was still struggling to believe that Hermione agreed so easily. "Malfoy and I know of the perfect city in Worcestershire. I'll pull up some houses and properties for you to look at. In the mean time, why don't you, Malfoy, and Grayson work on choosing your new names and what not? I do suggest, though, that you should consider the fact that you two will have a child living with you. It'll be easier for others to accept that you're married and that Grayson is your son."

Pansy and Ginny glanced at each other; both worried.

Hermione's lips thinned. "Alright. Malfoy, you choose the house. It doesn't really matter to me. I don't want to get attached anyway." She couldn't help fidgeting when Malfoy looked at her with none of the surprise on his face that the others had on theirs.

"I thought you would say that. Let's go with the one I chose before, Potter," said Malfoy. Hermione looked at him with no small amount of wonder.

Pansy grasped Hermione's hand and squeezed reassuringly. "We'll leave you three to talk." Ginny nodded and stood, following Pansy into another room with Teddy in tow.

Harry stood up as well and drew in a large breath before saying, "I'll go check on James. Write down the information and I'll go purchase that property in your names, as well as draw up some birth certificates, marriage license, and whatever else is needed. Oh, you also need to change your physical appearances, so I suggest brushing up on your Human Transfiguration spells."

Hermione nodded and Harry left the living room. She sighed deeply before turning to Malfoy.

"You had a property in mind already? How did you know I would even agree to this? Why didn't you assume that I'd choose to stay at Malfoy Manor or Grimmauld Place?"

Malfoy leaned back in his seat, with an arm thrown back nonchalantly along the back of it. Hermione could not comprehend just exactly how he could be so casual and composed in this situation, especially since he had to protect both her and Grayson. She was giving it her all just to not shudder like a leaf after hearing plans on her murder; not even she could become entirely immune, no matter how many times people tried to kill her.

"Potter didn't think Burke would go after the boy, but I had a hunch he might. My family and his used to run in the same circle, you know. He's not the type of person to let this go. I knew you wouldn't be obstinate when a child's well-being was involved so I figured, why not be prepared? And, it's not as if you have happy memories of Malfoy Manor or the Black home. Even if that was not a problem, I have no doubt that staying locked up inside would drive you crazy, even if the libraries are remarkable." he shrugged.

Hermione felt astonished and a little uncomfortable at the same time. She had seen the surprise on her friends' faces when she agreed to Harry's suggestions and it was a bit disconcerting to realize that Malfoy seemed to know her better than her best friends did, at least in this aspect.

Hermione cleared her throat and suggested, "Why don't we think of who we want to be now? I've always liked the name 'Annabelle'. What about you, Grayson?" Hermione could feel her cheeks redden as Malfoy chuckled quietly at her not so smooth subject change.

Grayson looked from Malfoy to Hermione with wide eyes. "How about 'Archer'? Green Arrow is my favorite from _Justice League_!" he said excitedly.

"The _what?_" asked Malfoy.

"It's an animated show on the telly about superheroes," said Hermione. At Malfoy's increasingly baffled look, she shook her head and merely said she'd have to show him sometime.

Hermione stretched across the couch and reached into the drawer of the table beside it. She pulled out a notebook and ripped several sheets from it before giving some and a pen to Malfoy.

"Here, you can write down your new identity on this."

"No need, I've already prepared one," he said, reaching into his pocket once again.

Hermione blinked and then shrugged when she realized that this new and improved Malfoy would, most likely, never cease astonishing her. She shifted Grayson from her lap onto the couch and told him that she'd help write down what he wanted once she was finished with hers.

When they were both done, Hermione looked up, although avoiding Malfoy's eyes, and asked, "So, what's _our_ story? How did we fall in love, Malfoy?"

Malfoy's lips twitched at Hermione's evasion, and questions. "Might as well get comfortable calling each other by our first names; we'll be living together for an unknown amount of time anyway, _Hermione_." It was awfully forward of him to call her by her first name so suddenly, especially when he continued without allowing her to even respond to his suggestion, yet Hermione found that she did not mind all that much. She was still going to refer to him by his surname, however, at least for the time being; she just wasn't comfortable with calling him 'Draco' so soon, given their history.

He leaned closer and said, "It's probably best to keep as close to the truth as possible. We met in school and hated each other from the beginning. We didn't see each other again after graduation until a while later at a… _gathering_, during which you were so dazzled by my presence that you could not resist asking me out. We dated. I proposed a year later; we got married after a short engagement and then had _Archer_ here." He ruffled Grayson's hair and gave her a smile. A smile. Not a smirk.

It was one that creased his eyes and lit his face up; it made him look much more attractive than she had ever seen him.

_Dazzled, huh?_ "Wait! What? _I_ was 'dazzled by your presence' and asked _you_ out? Don't you mean you were finally able to see clearly and were so stunned by my beauty and intelligence that you could not help but ask me to give meaning to your life by going out with you?"

"Nope, I'm pretty sure I don't."

"Why, you-"

At this point, Grayson's head was whipping back and forth faster than a spectator at a Wimbledon game. He decided to stop it before things could get out of hand. "What if you _both_ asked each other out at the same time?" Not that he understood what that meant. Grayson debated asking for clarification, but he figured that they would just reply that it was nothing; just like his parents had whenever they bantered like this.

"That…could work."

"That idea isn't _completely_ aversive."

Hermione gave Malfoy a look before writing their "love story" down on the paper. She had just finished when Harry came back in with James cradled in his arms, Ginny and Teddy following behind them.

"Hey, you're just in time. Here, this is what we decided on." Hermione gathered their notes together and handed them to Harry.

Harry shifted James to one arm and reached out to take the sheets of paper from Hermione with his free hand. "Great, I'll have this done as soon as possible. In the meantime, Malfoy will stay here with you and I'll have the Advance Guard stay posted around this building. I don't expect Burke to strike again so soon, but just as a precaution…" Harry trailed off. "Get some rest, Hermione." She nodded.

Ginny squeezed her shoulder when Hermione saw them to the fireplace and said, just as they were leaving, "Call if you need me." Teddy hugged her legs in goodbye.

Hermione sighed and turned to face Malfoy and Grayson from where she stood. "Feel free to transfigure the couch if you want to, or you're welcome to my bed." Hermione's face reddened, hurtling from a light rosy flush to a tomato red, as her words sunk in and she just knew a smirk was threatening to appear on Malfoy's face though he, to his credit, had controlled his expression so far. "I-I meant, you're welcome to take it! I'm probably going to stay awake to talk with Pansy, last few days living together and all!" Hermione nearly yelled by way of explanation. She was so flustered her arms were almost flapping by her side. She practically flew from the room, down the hall to Pansy's bedroom, leaving a laughing Malfoy and wide-eyed Grayson.

* * *

Hermione stood in front of the door, trying to calm her racing heart, before knocking on the door. "Pansy?"

Pansy's muffled voice called out, "Come in!"

Hermione pushed the door open to see that Pansy was laying on her stomach on the bed, feet kicking in the air, chin propped on a palm, and flipping through the pages of _Witch Weekly_. Crookshanks laid next to her, tail brushing silently against her leg. Her inky black hair bobbed against the collar of her pink silk pajama shirt as she nodded to a silent tune, down casted eyes covered by her straight bangs. Pansy was no longer pug-faced; in fact, she was quite beautiful with her dark fluttering lashes, pert nose, and ruby lips. In a way, she resembled Snow White from the Muggle fairytale, Hermione thought. Pansy would have been a very successful model with her patrician looks, had it not been for her passion for designing.

Pansy sat up when Hermione came in. She closed the magazine, ignoring the silent protests of the witch on the current page, and patted her bed. Hermione flopped onto it, sighing into the sheets under her face. Crookshanks mewed softly, observing his mistress, as her actions caused him to bounce a little on the mattress.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not yet," Hermione said, voice subdued. She perked up then, head popping up to look at Pansy suspiciously, "How was your _date_? Did I see a smile when you came home tonight?"

Apparently, those were the magic words. Pansy broke out into a grin so infectious Hermione smiled as well. "It was…_great_. Wonderful, actually."

"Really? So, he wasn't a Pure-blood empathizer?"

"Oh, he was, at least until the war anyway. Of course, he wasn't as…blunt about it as Draco had been." Pansy ignored Hermione's mutter that no one was as outspoken as Malfoy had been. "I'm not sure if you remember him, but his name is Blaise Zabini."

Hermione thought for a moment; his name sounded vaguely familiar, but she struggled to put a face to it. "Oh! You know what; I might. Wasn't he in the Slug Club?"

Pansy nodded. "He was. I really wasn't expecting to enjoy tonight like I did. I mean, I had it all planned out; I would be so incredibly nasty that he would just leave with a horrible enough experience that my parents wouldn't ever try to set me up again. Instead, _he_ arrived after _I_ did; girls are the ones who are supposed to make an entrance! Anyway, he sat down, and, before I could even begin to put my plan in motion, said that he was only humoring his mother by being here but really hoped that I was not the same bigoted Pansy Parkinson as I had been at Hogwarts. He was no longer a Pure-blood supremacist and would not tolerate me if I still was."

"So what did you do?" asked Hermione.

"What could I have done? He caught me totally off guard, and I was speechless! He rolled his eyes at me and said that if I didn't pick my jaw up off the ground, flies would make themselves at home in my mouth. I swear I heard him mumble 'Oh Merlin, I hope she's not daft'!"

Hermione chortled with amusement, wiping the tears leaking from her eyes. She could just imagine exactly how Pansy looked then.

"And you like him." It was more of a statement than question.

Pansy looked down at the magazine, smiling sheepishly, and traced the sparkling words with a finger. "I do. It was just…so different from the other dates I've been on. After I assured him that I wasn't the same Pansy, he relaxed and we had very pleasant conversations about our lives now and what we hope to do in the future. I don't know, we just," Pansy paused for a moment, thinking, "connected."

Hermione had turn to lay on her side when Pansy's voice grew quiet and serious. She propped her head on a hand and regarded Pansy for a bit before a smile grew on her face. "I'm glad, Pansy. You're going to see him again soon?"

"If I can help it, yes."

"I'd be content if I had a fraction of the happiness Ginny has with Harry. I have a feeling you're going to find that soon."

"Don't settle, Hermione. I know you will be just as happy as Ginny is. We both will," Pansy said with conviction. "Maybe your last date was a sign from the universe telling you to slow down. You know, like 'true love will come to you when you least expect it to'. Let's just hope that it'll happen _after_ this witness thing is all over. I mean, it's not like you can date and fall in love when you're married to Draco," Pansy said as she looked at Hermione from the corner of her eye, gauging her reaction.

Hermione collapsed onto her back with a groan, pulling a pillow over her face. She contemplated screaming into it, but it was late and possible complaints from neighbors weren't worth it.

"It'll be alright, Hermione. Draco is more than capable of protecting you and Grayson!"

"Oh, I have no doubt about that. It's him, specifically, that I'm worried about. This is _Malfoy_ we're talking about. I mean, I know you have changed and all, and it is possible he has too; he _did_ just suggest that I call him... _Draco_. It's just really difficult for me to wrap my head around that right now, with everything that is going on. And he's so _different_, I don't know how to act around him. I keep half expecting him to revert back to that boy who said those horrible things to me," said Hermione, almost bitterly. She held Crookshanks to her, looking into his eyes. "What do you think, Crookshanks? You're a good judge of character." He gave a noncommittal meow. Hermione sighed. "Let me know when you're more acquainted then."

Pansy was quiet for a moment. "It's understandable, Hermione. In hindsight, he was pretty nasty back then. But you've only seen and spoke with him a couple of times recently, right? You gave me a second chance; can't you give him that as well?"

"That's different. You weren't nearly as foul to me as he had been," argued Hermione.

"Think of it like this. If he was still that same boy who used to call you those despicable names, would I still be friends with him?"

When Hermione did not answer, Pansy continued, "You know me, Hermione. Trust me on this."

"Well, I don't have much of a choice, do I? I'm going to have to live with him for an unknown amount of time anyway." Hermione tried to give Pansy a reassuring smile though it looked more like a grimace. She sighed. "I'll give him a chance, Pans."

"And you _won't_ antagonize him, or give him a hard time? He's one of my best friends, I'll have you know."

Hermione gave a short laugh, tossing the pillow in her hands at Pansy. "I _promise_. Besides, when have you known me to provoke or give anyone a difficult time?"

Pansy amusedly shook her head at Hermione. "I can't think of a particular instance now but I'll definitely let you know when I do!"

They laughed and spent the next few minutes talking about the rest of Pansy's date. "Seriously though," started Pansy, after she had finished telling Hermione how she and Blaise had compared their arranged dating experiences, "are you ready for this? Even if it is just pretend, you're going to be a wife and mother in, what I assume to be, a couple of days, if not sooner."

Hermione gave a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumping. "Like I said, what choice do I have? It won't be so bad though, I suppose. Grayson is a delight to be around but I am worried about him. I'm not sure how learning about his family this way will affect him; I'm not even sure I said the right things to him about his father."

"You said that he saw his father being murdered, right? I think, deep down, he realized what that meant, even then. I'm no child psychologist but I believe that he's too young to have this ruin his life forever, if you know what I mean. Yes, he'll be sad for a while, but he'll also move on, with lovely memories of his father. The most important thing right now is that he knows that, even though his father is gone and his mother and sister are missing, he will still have two caretakers who will guide and love him."

"You're right," agreed Hermione before her relieved expression turned pensive and then panicked. "But what if he thinks we're trying to replace his parents? Even if he doesn't, what if we can't provide what he needs? What if we can't give him the love he needs and deserves? Oh Merlin, I don't know the first thing about caring for a child who, for all intents and purposes, just lost his family. Let's not even mention the fact that there's a murderous lunatic having his minions try to kill us!"

Pansy sensed that Hermione was just seconds away from talking herself into a full-blown panic attack, and knew she had to run interference immediately. "Stop, Hermione. Breathe. He's not going to think that you two are going to replace his parents. Just talk to Draco about this and work something to say out first before you discuss it with Grayson. I have seen you interact with Grayson today and you were amazing. You comforted him when he was inconsolable and he didn't respond to either Ginny or I, but he did with you. You two have this bond that I really cannot explain, but I know that you realize it too. You will love him, if you don't already. And you don't know this, but Draco is surprisingly wonderful with children as well. So you really don't have to worry about this. You'll see, everything will be fine." Pansy had taken Hermione by the shoulders and was prepared to give her a shake or two if she did not agree.

Hermione was scared of what was in store for her in the near future, but just knowing Pansy had faith in her gave her the strength to nod and face it, head held high.

* * *

The next morning, or rather afternoon, as they had all slept in, Pansy snuck quietly out of her bedroom. Hermione was still sleeping, but she wanted some tea and to enjoy the peace and quiet before everyone woke up. It wasn't unusual for one of the girls to fall asleep in the other's bed; they often stayed up way too late to talk and were too lazy to drag themselves down the hall to their own beds. Pansy pulled the door behind her, not quite shutting it because she was afraid the click of it closing would be too loud in the silent flat.

Tiptoeing down the hall, Pansy stepped into the living room on her way to the kitchen. She stopped and blinked at the sight that greeted her before turning back to her room. Her need for peace and quiet could wait another day.

Pansy came up to Hermione's huddled form under the blanket and shook the mass. Hermione mumbled incoherently, a hand snaking out to swat blindly at whatever was bothering her. Pansy ignored this and persisted. "Hermione, wake up! You _have_ to see this. Get your camera, and come to the living room!" When there was no response, Pansy ripped the sheets off, exposing Hermione to the bright light and cold air.

"Oh my _GOD_! What in Merlin's name are you doing?! I'm up, geez!" Pansy raised an eyebrow at Hermione's exaggeration; thank goodness she had the insight to cast a sound muffling charm on her room before attempting to wake _this_ lioness.

"Just do it!"

Hermione mumbled but did as she was told, stopping by her room to get her enchanted camera she had gotten from Ginny and Harry last Christmas, and trudged after Pansy.

She was mid-yawn when she saw what Pansy was pointing at. Hermione choked silently as she stifled the rest of the yawn.

There, on the bed-transfigured-couch, were Malfoy and Grayson sleeping in the same position as the other. Both had their legs and arms stretched out, palms facing up. Malfoy was snoring quietly; Grayson's hand on his stomach moving each time Malfoy breathed in and out. Grayson was also snoring, though it was more endearing than funny in his case, and the girls could see that he was drooling a bit. Crookshanks, who must have left Pansy's room while the girls were sleeping, was nestled in between both boys, purring softly.

"Oh, yeah; we'll be fine," whispered Hermione with a huge grin on her face as she lifted the camera and took a few shots.


End file.
